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CAT Sample Paper 2026: 6 Free CAT Exam Sample Papers; Download PDF with Solutions, Take Online

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Last Updated on November 4, 2026 by MBAUniverse.com News Desk

CAT Sample Paper 2026: CAT 2026 will be held on November 29, 2026. A CAT sample paper, also called a CAT model paper, lets you practise one section at a time on CAT-level questions before you take full-length mocks. MBAUniverse.com offers 6 free CAT sample papers that you can take online or download PDF documents. Download the CAT Sample Paper PDF with solutions from the sections below, or go straight to the free online CAT sample papers listed at the end of this page.

CAT Sample Paper 2026
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CAT Sample Paper 2026: Based on Latest CAT Pattern

Every CAT 2026 sample paper on MBAUniverse.com follows the CAT exam pattern. CAT 2026 is expected to follow the CAT 2025 pattern: 68 questions in 120 minutes, in three sections of 40 minutes each. A correct answer earns 3 marks and a wrong MCQ costs 1 mark; there is no negative marking for TITA (type in the answer) questions. The CAT question paper pattern 2026 is in the table below.

CAT Exam Pattern 2026 (Expected)

Section No.

Section Name

Duration

MCQs

TITA

Total

I

VARC

40 min

20

4

24

II

DI and LR

40 min

11

11

22

III

QA

40 min

14

8

22

Total

 

120 min

45

23

68

Download CAT Exam Pattern Guide 2026 PDF

Free CAT Sample Papers 2026: Key Benefits, Take 6 Free Papers

Each CAT exam sample paper on MBAUniverse.com is built for section-wise practice. Here is what you get from these free CAT exam sample papers:

  • CAT-level questions: CAT exam sample questions based on CAT papers, so question types and difficulty match CAT itself.
  • Answers and solutions: three sample paper PDFs, based on CAT 2025, 2024 and 2023 papers, with answers and detailed solutions.
  • Online or PDF: take each sample paper online with your score at the end, or practise offline with the PDFs.

Looking for a CAT sample paper 2025? All six online sample papers here are based on CAT 2025 papers:

CAT Sample Papers 2026: 6 Free Mocks

MockQuestionsTimePDF with solutions
Sample Paper 168120 minutesYes – download now 
Sample Paper 268120 minutesYes – link below
Sample Paper 368120 minutesYes – link below
Sample Paper 468120 minutesOnline only
Sample Paper 568120 minutesOnline only
Sample Paper 668120 minutesOnline only

Take CAT Sample Tests 2026 Free Online

Follow these four simple steps to take a free CAT sample paper online:
Step 1: Go straight to the free online CAT sample papers at the end of this page and pick one, for example Sample Paper 1
Step 2: Click ‘Take Test Now’ below the paper. A free registration window will open.
Step 3: Complete the free registration in about a minute.
Step 4: Your sample paper starts right away. There is no fee or payment.

Your CAT score is shown at the end of the paper. Keep strictly to 40 minutes, as in CAT, so that each sample CAT paper feels like that section on exam day.

MBAUniverse.com CAT sample paper interface

CAT Sample Paper 2026 PDF with Solutions: Download Paper 1

Start with the sample paper 1, based on a CAT 2025 paper. This CAT sample paper 2026 PDF free download has every question, the answer key and a detailed solution for each, so you see why one option is right and the others are wrong. 

Download CAT Sample Paper 2026 PDF 1 with Answers and Solutions

CAT Sample Paper 2026 PDF with Solutions: Download Paper 2

Next take sample paper 2 that is based on a CAT 2024 paper and type of questions. Scan all the sets first and solve the two or three you can finish, as most toppers advise. This CAT sample question paper PDF has the answer key and detailed solutions for every question. 

Download CAT Sample Paper 2026 PDF 2 with Answers and Solutions

CAT Mock Tests: Take 10 Mocks Free

In addition to sample papers, MBAUniverse.com offers 10 free CAT mock tests 2026, based on the latest CAT exam pattern. 
Take CAT Mock Tests Online
Download CAT Mock Tests PDF
This will ensure that you have material for additional practice after you finish the sample tests on this page. 

How to Use CAT Sample Paper Results: Good Score?

After taking a sample tests you will get your scorecard. Compare your score with benchmark CAT score. 

What is a Good Score in CAT Sample Test? Sample test scores are raw marks out of 204 (68 questions), while CAT reports scaled scores, so treat the table below as indicative. Read more details: CAT Score vs Percentile 2026

Marks Needed for CAT 2026 Percentiles

PercentileMarks out of 204
9985–90
9562–66
9052–55
8038–41

What after CAT Sample Paper: Use Free CAT Guides, Tools

Once you have your sample paper scores, use these free MBAUniverse.com resources:

a) Set Your Targets

b) Practise More Tests 

Looking for the CAT 2026 question paper? It will be available only after the exam on November 29, 2026. Download CAT Questions Papers for last 10 years. 

Take CAT Sample Paper Online Free on MBAUniverse.com

You can take each sample paper free online on MBAUniverse.com, listed as ‘CAT Sample Paper 2026 – 1’ to ‘CAT Sample Paper 2026 – 6’:

CAT Sample Papers 2026: 6 Free Mocks

MockQuestionsTimePDF with solutions
Sample Paper 168120 minutesYes – download now 
Sample Paper 268120 minutesYes – download now 
Sample Paper 368120 minutesYes – download now 
Sample Paper 468120 minutesOnline only
Sample Paper 568120 minutesOnline only
Sample Paper 668120 minutesOnline only


Click ‘Take Test Now’ below a paper, complete the free one-minute registration and start. Scroll down to the tests, just below the Summary and FAQs.

CAT Sample Paper 2026: Summary

CAT 2026 will be held on November 29, 2026, and CAT sample papers are the quickest way to learn CAT’s question types and how to solve the exam paper. MBAUniverse.com offers 6 free CAT sample papers on this page. Download the CAT Sample Paper 2026 PDF with solutions and then move on to the free CAT Sample Paper available below. 

CAT Sample Paper 2026: FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, the CAT sample paper on MBAUniverse.com is free. All CAT sample papers can be taken online after a one-minute free registration, with no fee or payment, and your score is shown at the end of each paper.
You can download the CAT sample paper 2026 PDF with solutions free from MBAUniverse.com. There are three sample paper PDFs, each with every question, the answer key and a detailed solution for each question, plus one combined PDF of all three papers. The download links are in the Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 sections of this page.
The CAT sample paper 2026 follows the CAT exam pattern: three sections, VARC, DILR and QA, of 40 minutes each, or 120 minutes in all. A correct answer earns 3 marks and a wrong MCQ costs 1 mark, with no negative marking for TITA questions. CAT 2026 is expected to have 68 questions.
A good score in a CAT sample paper depends on your target percentile. As an indicative guide, about 85 to 90 marks out of 204 are needed for 99 percentile, 62 to 66 for 95 percentile and 52 to 55 for 90 percentile. Check each section too, as IIMs apply sectional cut-offs.

Sample Paper

CAT Sample Paper 2026 - 1

SectionQuestionsDurations
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)2440 min
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)2240 min
Quantitative Ability (QA)2240 min

CAT Sample Paper 2026 - 2

SectionQuestionsDurations
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)2440 min
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)2240 min
Quantitative Ability (QA)2240 min

CAT Sample Paper 2026 - 3

SectionQuestionsDurations
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)2440 min
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)2240 min
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)2240 min

CAT Sample Paper 2026 -6

SectionQuestionsDurations
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)2440 min
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)2240 min
Quantitative Ability (QA)2240 min

CAT Sample Paper 2026 -5

SectionQuestionsDurations
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)2440 min
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)2240 min
Quantitative Ability (QA)2240 min

CAT Sample Paper 2026 -4

SectionQuestionsDurations
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)2440 min
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)2240 min
Quantitative Ability (QA)2240 min
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